x

Judiciary Budget: NJC Under Pressure

A major budget spending scandal is brewing in the judiciary as four major institutions of government have delivered a damning verdict on the sector’s alleged lack of transparency and accountability in the usage of public funds. 

Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami; the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related Offences Commission (ICPC), the Budget Office and House of Representatives Committee on Judiciary have all condemned the alleged opaque nature of budgetary allocation administration in the judiciary. 

The National Judicial Council (NJC) which disburses judiciary budgetary allocation has maintained a studied silence in the face of executive and legislative attacks. Nigerian Tribune has learned of the indictment of some leaders of the bench, especially at the state level. 

At various times, the office of the Auditor-General of the Federation has indicted senior members of the bench and about three Chief Judges (domains withheld) were close to losing their jobs, but saved by strategic interventions. 

While NJC pays salaries and allowances of judges, state governors finance capital expenditures. 

Though the chief registrars are the accounting officers of courts, the chief judges, must sign in on spending. 

A similar scenario exists at the federal level where the CJN superintends over accounting officers like the chief registrar of the Supreme Court, Secretary National Judicial Council (NJI), Secretary, Federal Judicial Service Commission (FJSC) and administrator of the National Judicial Institute (NJI). 

Though Malami was not specific in his public accusation of the judiciary being scandalous and unaccountable, NJC Secretary, Ahmed Gambo Saleh, who was present at the event where the minister made his accusation, has been at the forefront of increase in the judiciary’s budgetary allocation. 

The damning verdicts were delivered on the judiciary at the Justice Sector Summit 2022, of the Nigerian Bar Association, in Abuja, last Tuesday. 

A raise of N10 billion has been granted the judiciary for 2022 by the National Assembly, but the concern raised by Malami, ICPC’s chairman, Professor Bolaji Owasanoye, DG Budget Office, Ben Akabueze and a member of the House of Representatives committee on judiciary, Luke Onofiok, is likely to truncate the release of the extra fund, again. 

A few years back, a similar raise of the same amount was not released by President Muhammadu Buhari to the leadership of the judiciary. 

Apart from CJs, accounting officers of various courts and judicial agencies have also been severally queried by the office of the Auditor General of the Federation, with findings on alleged discrepancies, sent to the Senate and House of Representatives Public Account Committees. 

The procedure is for the federal lawmakers to summon affected accounting officers for questioning, though none has been publicly held for sleaze. 

A top operative of NJC, who is livid about the callout by the minister wondered if those bashing the system knew there are seconded auditors from the Auditor General’s office working daily in the council, sister agencies and all the courts. 

Hot this week

Editors Urge Government To Create Safe, Enabling Environment For Journalists

· Ask security agents to find missing Vanguard journalistAs...

EXCLUSIVE: Buhari orders probe of Isa Funtua, AMCON over keystone and Etisalat

Following the controversy generated by the leading opposition party,...

6 Signs your boyfriend thinks you are ugly -Take note of No. 2

They say there are three kinds of people; the...

2023: South-East, Middle Belt Forum Endorses Peter Obi

The South-East and Middle Belt Forum has endorsed the...

A’Ibom HIV/AIDS Anti-Stigma Bill awaiting Governor’s assent –

By Ogenyi Ogenyi,UyoA Bill aimed at protecting people living...

Twelve Years of APC March and a Loyal Soldier: The Story of Elton Onwu

By Emameh GabrielThere are politicians, and then there are...

Groups hail Kyari’s NNPCL achievements, dismiss ‘politically-engineered protests’

Coalition Of Civil Society Organisations In Nigeria (COCSON) and...

Wike To Summon Area Council Chairmen Over Non – Payment of Teachers Salaries

By Joyce Remi-BabayejuThe FCT Minister, Barr. Nysome Wike on...

Why Delta Governor, Oborevwori, other stakeholders, defect to APC 

By Anne Azuka In a massive political realignment that reverberated...

OPSH foils attack on Teegbe village of Bassa LGA , neutralises armed robbers in Plateau

By Isreal Adamu,Jos Troops of Operation Safe Haven  deployed to...

FG To Support Benue Govt Towards Tackling Insecurity As Death Toll Now 73 In Recent Attacks 

By Isaac Kertyo, Makurdi President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has assured...
spot_img

Related Articles

Popular Categories

spot_imgspot_img